


Father Figure

by ThornyHedge



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit (2012) RPF
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-23
Updated: 2013-03-23
Packaged: 2017-12-06 05:54:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/732182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThornyHedge/pseuds/ThornyHedge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(A prompt fill)</p><p>buff-bofur  said: </p><p>I wonder if Fili and Kili ever called Thorin ‘father/dad’ by accident. </p><p>Maybe it would happen at a time when one of the nephews was distracted/tired/drunk, and Fili/Kili would give Thorin a big hug and say, “I love you dad”.</p><p>Or maybe it would occur when one of them was wounded and barely conscious, looking up at Thorin with half-closed eyes, whispering, “F-father, I’m sorry”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Father Figure

**Four times Kili or Fili called Thorin “father” and didn’t mean it…. and one time they did.**

\------

1

Dwarves enjoyed drinking and celebrating nearly as much at Hobbits, though there had been little cause to celebrate in the past 100 years. Thorin has buried his grandfather, his brother, and countless others. But, on this day, a celebration had been planned to celebrate the birth of his youngest nephew, Kili. 

Dis fluttered around the hall, flowers in her hair, straightening the plates of meat and breads. Thorin, meanwhile, entertained five-year-old Fili and held infant Kili while his sister fussed with the details. Dis herself was still reeling from the loss of her husband. Thorin had made a vow to her that he would stand in for Fili and Kili’s father, teaching them everything they’d need to know to succeed as Dwarves and as heirs of Durin.

“Can I hold my brother?” Fili’s huge blue eyes sought Thorin’s out. 

“Of course you can, Fili,” Thorin lay the baby carefully across Fili’s knees. “Be very, very careful not to let him fall. From here on out, you are his big brother. He will always love you and always look to you for help.” Thorin smiled, remembering his own sweet little brother, lost so many years before. He’d be sure to teach Fili everything in his power to prevent another tragedy.

“Who will help _me_?” Fili wondered, softly petting Kili’s dark head.

“I will,” Thorin assured him. “I will always be here for you, Fili.”

“Uncle Thorin?” Fili looked up at him, clutching wee Kili to his chest. “Would it be all right for me to call you ‘father’ sometimes? I know that you are not my da’, but would that be all right?”

A lump formed in Thorin’s throat and he couldn’t speak. He cleared his throat, laying a gentle hand on each of his heirs’ heads. “You can, Fili. I shall try to never, ever disappoint you.”

\------

2

“You know, Aidan,” Richard lay a gentle hand on the brunet’s shoulder, “you’ve had a lot of stout tonight.”

“Gee, thanks, _Dad_ ,” Aidan scoffed. “Anything else you want to rag on me about? Hair too long? Did I leave the garage light on?” He was clearly agitated.

“No, nothing like that,” Richard sat down on the bar stool next to him. “We just have an active day tomorrow and I wanted to make sure you didn’t get sick,” he met Aidan’s eye. “That’s all.”

“I can’t believe he left. Just _left_ ,” Aidan sighed, putting down his empty bottle with finality. “Richard, what did I do wrong?”

“Coffee, please?” Richard asked the bartender, who nodded. “Aidan,” he said softly. “Rob didn’t leave the film because of you. You are a joy to work with.”

“He spent more time with me than anyone,” Aidan lamented. “Surely, I must have done something to scare him away.”

“ _Did_ you?”

Aidan thought about it. “No. I—no,” he concluded, picking up the mug of coffee the bartender had slid under his nose and nodding his thanks. 

“Your new ‘brother’ arrives tomorrow,” Richard leaned his shoulder against Aidan’s. “Do you really want to greet him with a hangover? I have a feeling this is going to be the start of something great.”

“I’m sure you’re right, Richard,” Aidan agreed, dutifully downing the black coffee. “Thanks for the pep talk.”

\------

3

It wasn’t their fault about the ponies—honestly. Since they’d left Bag End, it seemed like no matter how hard they tried to please their uncle, they constantly ended up looking ridiculous.

Fili had taken Thorin’s weapons to clean them and ended up chipping the blade of Thorin’s sword when he tripped over a rock and dropped it. Kili’s first—and—second arrow, failed to kill the warg and its orc rider outside Rivendell. Those transgressions, among other reasons, had brought their uncle to their bedchamber to speak with them privately.

“I’ve tried my best with the two of you,” Thorin told them, voice cold. “Yet at every turn you make me look foolish.”

“Uncle,” Fili began, “we assure you, that was not our intention.”

“I have tried to be a father to you both,” Thorin paced, “in the absence of your own.”

“We want you to be proud of us,” Kili said sadly. “We want you to not regret your decision to have us with you, Uncle. But—”

“Yes?” Thorin pursued. 

“But you treat us like children!” Kili concluded. “We want to be able to look to you as a father, Thorin, but you belittle us.”

“What Kili means to say is—” Fili stepped up. “The pressure, it’s—”

“Kili was perfectly clear, nephew,” Thorin spun on them. “My trust is to be earned. I expect that of each and every Dwarf under me. You, of all people, should know that, Fili. Don’t make me have this conversation with you again!” Thorin strode from the room and shut the door with a booming finality.

Fili couldn’t speak. He reached for his brother’s hand.

\------

4

“Happy Fathers Day!” Aidan and Dean chorused, handing Richard a package wrapped in blue and white. Dean felt especially strange calling Richard ‘father,’ considering their six-year age difference. 

“Oh, boys,” the Brit blushed. “You shouldn’t have.”

“It’s the least we could do,” Aidan smiled at him. “You have, after all, been a surrogate da’ to us for awhile now.”

“It’s just a little something to keep you entertained when we’re not shooting,” Dean explained.

Richard put the package down on the restaurant table and carefully opened it. “Oh, my!” he chuckled. “It’s the _Escape from Mirkwood Spiders_ Lego set!” He read from the package, “Defeat four Mirkwood Forest spiders and rescue the Dwarves from cocoons in a LEGO _The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey_ set with four mini-figures! Oh, boys, it’s … it’s priceless.”

“ _Five_ figurines, actually,” Dean pulled a small package from his shirt pocket. “It didn’t come with a Thorin, so we got you one… so he could swoop in and save the day.”

Richard chuckled, sniffling a bit. “This is—without a doubt—the best Fathers Day present I could have asked for.”

“Let’s play with it now!” Aidan suggested.

Richard was already opening the box while Dean danced Lego Thorin across his napkin.

\------

5

While it seemed like the battle might be turning in the favor of the Dwarves, Thorin was shown no mercy by his attackers. An arrow protruded from his side and he could taste blood. He knew he was going to fall. His brave, brave nephews flanked him. 

Kili had long since discarded his bow. Although hand-to-hand combat was not his forte, and he had an open wound on his scalp, he continued to mow down any enemy who approached Thorin’s left side. 

Fili still held both his swords, but his right arm bore a deep gash down to the bone and he was having trouble lifting it to defend himself. Thorin watched in horror as an orc sword pierced Fili’s chest and the blond fell to his knees.

“Fili, no! No!” Kili cried in anguish. In just that moment of distraction, an arrow pierced his jugular and he fell, blood gurgling. Weakly, he reached towards his fallen brother and uncle, eyes staring at the sky.

Fili pulled himself across the blood-soaked ground until he lay inches from Kili. “ _N-nadadel,_ ” his voice was hoarse and blood dripped from his lips onto Kili’s chest as he spoke. “Kee…” but his brother was gone. His blue eyes turned to Thorin’s. “I have disappointed you both for the last time, _adadûn,_ ” he told his king. “I hope Mahal will forgive me.” 

Thorin held the lifeless bodies of his sister-sons until the field medics came to take him away.

**Author's Note:**

> Adadûn = father
> 
> *hands out Kleenex*


End file.
